Chapter 7: The Assistant Who Knew Too Much
Maya Collins arrived at headquarters twenty minutes later.
She walked through the front doors carrying a folder.
Calm.
Professional.
Almost too calm.
Renee watched from the second-floor balcony.
For months, Maya had been the person who organized her cases.
Prepared evidence.
Found connections.
Protected her schedule.
She had been the person Renee trusted most.
And now every memory felt different.
Maya looked up.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, neither woman moved.
Then Maya smiled.
A small, tired smile.
“Commander.””
Renee walked downstairs.
“Maya.””
The hallway emptied.
Everyone sensed something was wrong.
“You wanted to see me?”” Maya asked.
Renee held up the photo.
The one from the warehouse.
Maya’s expression changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
“You recognize it.””
Maya looked at the picture.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Silence.
Renee waited.
“Maya.””
Finally, she sighed.
“Because I was there.””
The answer shocked even Mark.
He stood nearby.
“You were there?””
Maya looked at him.
“You were too.””
Mark stepped forward.
“You knew?””
“I knew everything.””
Renee studied her.
“Start from the beginning.””
Maya looked around.
“Not here.””
“Here.””
“Commander…”
“Here.””
Maya nodded.
Then she opened the folder she had been carrying.
Inside were copies of old reports.
Hundreds.
“I wasn’t investigating Mercer.””
Renee frowned.
“Then what were you doing?””
“Cleaning up his damage.””
“That doesn’t explain the messages.””
Maya looked down.
“No.””
“It doesn’t.””
Renee’s voice lowered.
“Did you send them?””
Maya didn’t answer.
She didn’t need to.
Mark looked betrayed.
“You manipulated us.””
Maya looked at him.
“I forced you to tell the truth.””
“That’s not the same thing.””
“No.””
Her voice cracked slightly.
“It isn’t.””
For the first time, Renee saw something other than confidence.
Pain.
“Why?””
Maya looked at the old reports.
“Because my brother was one of the people Mercer destroyed.””
The hallway went silent.
“Your brother?””
Maya nodded.
“He was sixteen.””
Renee said nothing.
“He was stopped outside his school. Officers claimed he was involved in a theft.””
“Was he?””
“No.””
Maya’s voice became colder.
“He was walking home.””
She opened one report.
“The officers changed the wording. They made him sound dangerous.””
Renee looked at the file.
The details were familiar.
Too familiar.
“He spent six months fighting charges.””
“What happened?””
Maya swallowed.
“He never trusted police again.””
A pause.
“He died two years later.””
Nobody spoke.
Renee looked at her.
“Maya…”
“I joined Internal Affairs because I thought I could fix things.””
Her eyes moved toward the ceiling.
“But then I learned something.””
“What?””
“People don’t destroy systems by breaking rules.””
She looked at Renee.
“They destroy them by convincing everyone the rules don’t matter.””
Renee understood.
But understanding didn’t erase what Maya had done.
“You used me.””
Maya nodded.
“Yes.””
“You put me in danger.””
“Yes.””
“You allowed Mark to believe he was being investigated.””
Maya looked at him.
“I knew he was hiding something.””
Mark’s jaw tightened.
“I was trying to survive.””
“So were the people your reports hurt.””
That sentence hit harder than anger.
Mark looked away.
Renee stepped between them.
“This ends now.””
Maya looked surprised.
“Commander?””
“No more secrets.””
She held up the drive Victor gave her.
“We release everything.””
Maya’s face changed.
“You can’t.””
“Why?””
“Because the files aren’t complete.””
Renee frowned.
“What do you mean?””
Maya hesitated.
Then she whispered:
“Because Mercer is alive.””
The room went still.
Mark stared.
“That’s impossible.””
“No.””
Maya looked at Renee.
“It’s the reason all of this started.””
Renee felt a chill.
“Where is he?””
Maya looked toward the exit.
“He’s been closer than anyone realized.””
Then every phone in the building rang at the same time.
Every single one.
Officers froze.
Renee answered hers.
A familiar voice spoke.
Older.
Calm.
Confident.
“Commander Brooks.””
Her blood went cold.
“Grant Mercer.””
May you like
A soft laugh.
“I was wondering when you’d finally say my name.””
